Libertadores Cup

liam_hurricane · #1 (**permalink**) 06-04-2007, 09:53 PM

Hi everybody,
I see everyone talking about the old continent´s Uefa Champions League,but when it comes to the fifa´s world club championship we can ask:
What about the other tournaments that also qualify for the cup?
I would try to give a simple explanation about it,but found by chance this wonderful article at wikipedia´s homepage about the America's Libertadores.That way I think we can have a general vision of the tournament that in the last years have provided the world a new champion.This year´s tournament has reached yet the semifinals and the rules were changed so that two teams from the same country would not face each other at the finals,which was caused by the Brazilian teams who had made the last two ones.

Next wednesday are gonna be played the second games from the semifinals between

Santos x Grêmio

Cúcuta x Boca Juniors

Check out the tables so far:
[Only Registered and Activated Users Can See Links. Click Here To Register...]

Now a little bit of history....

Libertadores 2007

Sport Football
Founded 1960
No. of teams 32 (Group stages)
Continent South America (CONMEBOL)
Current champions Internacional
The Copa Toyota Libertadores (also known as Copa Libertadores de América) (Portuguese: Copa Libertadores da América or Taça Libertadores da América, English: Libertadores Cup) is an international football cup competition played annually by the top clubs of South America. In recent years, top clubs from Mexico have also competed. The tournament is organized by the Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol (CONMEBOL). Its current holder is the Brazilian club Internacional.

The name of the tournament is an homage to the Libertadores (Spanish word for Liberators), the main leaders of the independence wars of Latin America: Simón Bolívar, Pedro I of Brazil, José de San Martín, Antonio José de Sucre, Bernardo O'Higgins, José Miguel Carrera and José Gervasio Artigas. Teams in contention for the title are referred to having the Sueño Libertador (or Projeto Tóquio, in Brazil). It is one of the most prestigious club trophies in the sport second only to the UEFA Champions League.

The tournament is, at present, sponsored by the motor manufacturing company Toyota, hence the inclusion of the name in the competition's current official title.

Contents [hide]

Qualifying
In the beginning, only the national champions of the major South American federations (namely Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay) would play in the Libertadores Cup, but in the 1970s a second team from each country was allowed entry and also teams from Venezuela. The number of participants was later increased to 24, 28, 32 and now 38.

Teams are qualified for the Libertadores Cup by winning a national championship or by finishing among the first few teams in the championship. Brazil, Uruguay and Mexico are the only countries participating which employ a second tournament that qualifies for the Libertadores (in Brazil, Copa do Brasil, since 1989; in Uruguay the "liguilla pre-libertadores" since 1974, in Mexico, the InterLiga since 2004).

The Cup has a preliminary round in which a number of clubs, currently 12, are paired in a series of two-legged knockout ties. The six survivors join the remaining clubs in the first round, in which they are divided into groups of four. The first-round groups play in a league system, with each team playing home and away against each other team. The top two teams from each group are then drawn in the second round, which consists of a two-legged knockout tie. From that point, the competition proceeds with two-legged knockout ties to quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final. Between 1960 and 1987 the previous winners did not enter the competition until the semi-final stage (which was 2 group stage of 3 teams each one), making it much easier to retain the cup.

The 2007 edition will have the competitors distributed this way:

The previous year's champion (Internacional)
5 from Argentina
5 from Brazil
3 from Bolivia
3 from Chile
3 from Colombia
3 from Ecuador
3 from Mexico
3 from Paraguay
3 from Peru
3 from Uruguay
3 from Venezuela
The lowest-ranked team from each country, plus the second lowest-ranked team from the nation of the previous year's champion, will enter the preliminary round, with the winners joining the other 26 teams in the main draw.

Rules
Note that unlike European club competitions, the Copa Libertadores historically did not use extra time or away goals to decide a tie that was level on aggregate. From 1960 to 1987, two-legged ties were decided on points (teams would be awarded 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a loss), without taking goal difference into consideration. If both teams were level on points after two legs, a third match would be played at a neutral site. Goal difference would only come into play if the third match was drawn. If the third match did not produce an immediate winner a penalty shootout was used to determine a winner.

From 1988 through 2004, ties were decided on aggregate goals, with an immediate penalty shootout if the tie was level on aggregate after full time of the second leg. Several times, the event would have had a different champion if it followed European rules. For example, if the away goals rule had been used the 2004 champions Colombian club Once Caldas, provided the same results would have taken place under these different circumstances, would have exited the competition in the second round, and would also have lost the final on away goals, making Boca Juniors the Champion of that trophy.

Starting with the 2005 event, CONMEBOL finally began to use the away goals rule, with the extra time used only in the final matches.

History
Twelve years before the first official Copa Libertadores, an international club competition was set up containing representatives (often the league champion) from seven different South American countries. This was the South American Club Championship 1948, played in a league in Santiago, Chile, and was won by Vasco da Gama. It has been recognised as a precursor to the Copa Libertadores by the South American Federation, but is not counted as being as significant as the first official competition in 1960, created as a rival to the European Cup which had been competed for since 1955.

The first cup was won by Peñarol of Uruguay. As of 2005, 20 different teams have won the cup. The most successful club has been the Argentinian side Independiente, winners seven times including four in a row from 1972 to 1975.

The competition all-time goalscorer is still striker Alberto Spencer of Ecuador. He played as a striker for Peñarol during their golden age in the 60's, scoring 48 goals in 70 games, and for Barcelona of Guayaquil, scoring 6 goals in 7 games. In total, he scored 54 goals in the Copa Libertadores. Despite this, he remains a relatively unknown figure outside of South America, thus providing an excellent contrast to George Best, who despite his abilities was relatively little-known outside of the United Kingdom, with his 2005 death arguably giving him more worldwide publicity than he enjoyed in life. A common cause can be found in both cases: Neither played in a World Cup.

In the Cup, Brazilians complain that especially in the early years the referees were often biased against the Brazilian teams, and that other teams abuse of violence. Argentines typically answer this by remarking that the Brazilian teams were often uninterested in playing abroad.

Over the years the competition has kept alive a healthy sport rivalry between the competing countries, especially between Brazil and Argentina, Argentina and Uruguay, Uruguay and Brazil, Peru and Chile. Unfortunately episodes of violence are not rare and the pressure for players on the field is tremendous.

Since 1998, the Copa Libertadores has been sponsored by the Toyota Motor Corporation, which is why the name Copa Toyota Libertadores is also used.

Past Tournaments
Year Final Semifinalists
Winner Score Runner-up
1960
Details Peñarol

Uruguay 1 - 0
1 - 1
Aggregate
2 - 1 Olimpia

Paraguay San Lorenzo

Argentina Millonarios

Colombia
1961
Details Peñarol

Uruguay 1 - 0
1 - 1
Aggregate
2 - 1 Palmeiras

Brazil Olimpia

Paraguay Independiente de Santa Fe

Colombia
1962
Details Santos FC

Brazil 1 - 2
3 - 2
3 - 0 Peñarol

Uruguay Universidad Católica

Chile Nacional

Uruguay
1963
Details Santos FC

Brazil 3 - 2
2 - 1
Aggregate
5 - 3 Boca Juniors

Argentina Botafogo

Brazil Peñarol

Uruguay
1964
Details Independiente

Argentina 0 - 0
1 - 0
Aggregate
1 - 0 Nacional

Uruguay Santos FC

Brazil Colo-Colo

Chile
1965
Details Independiente

Argentina 1 - 0
1 - 3
4 - 1 Peñarol

Uruguay Santos FC

Brazil Boca Juniors

Argentina
1966
Details Peñarol

Uruguay 2 - 0
2 - 3
4 - 2 (aet) River Plate

Argentina Independiente

Argentina Universidad Católica

Chile
1967
Details Racing Club

Argentina 0 - 0
0 - 0
2 - 1 Nacional

Uruguay Universitario

Peru Cruzeiro

Brazil
1968
Details Estudiantes L.P.

Argentina 2 - 1
1 - 3
2 - 0 Palmeiras

Brazil Peñarol

Uruguay Racing Club

Argentina
1969
Details Estudiantes L.P.

Argentina 1 - 0
2 - 0
Aggregate
3 - 0 Nacional

Uruguay Peñarol

Uruguay Universidad Católica

Chile
Year Final Semifinalists
Winner Score Runner-up
1970
Details Estudiantes L.P.

Argentina 1 - 0
0 - 0
Aggregate
1 - 0 Peñarol

Uruguay Universidad de Chile

Chile River Plate

Argentina
1971
Details Nacional

Uruguay 1 - 0
0 - 1
2 - 0 Estudiantes L.P.

Argentina Palmeiras

Brazil Barcelona Sporting

Ecuador
1972
Details Independiente

Argentina 0 - 0
2 - 1
Aggregate
2 - 1 Universitario

Peru Nacional

Uruguay São Paulo FC

Brazil
1973
Details Independiente

Argentina 1 - 1
0 - 0
2 - 1 (aet) Colo-Colo

Chile San Lorenzo

Argentina Cerro Porteño

Paraguay
1974
Details Independiente

Argentina 1 - 2
2 - 0
1 - 0 São Paulo FC

Brazil Peñarol

Uruguay Millonarios

Colombia
1975
Details Independiente

Argentina 0 - 1
3 - 1
2 - 0 Unión Española

Chile Rosario Central

Argentina Universitario

Peru
1976
Details Cruzeiro

Brazil 4 - 1
1 - 2
3 - 2 River Plate

Argentina LDU (Quito)

Ecuador Independiente

Argentina
1977
Details Boca Juniors

Argentina 1 - 0
0 - 1
0 - 0
(pen)
5 - 4 Cruzeiro

Brazil Deportivo Cali

Colombia Internacional

Brazil
1978
Details Boca Juniors

Argentina 0 - 0
4 - 0
Aggregate
4 - 0 Deportivo Cali

Colombia River Plate

Argentina Cerro Porteño

Paraguay
1979
Details Olimpia

Paraguay 2 - 0
0 - 0
Aggregate
2 - 0 Boca Juniors

Argentina Independiente

Argentina Guarani

Brazil
Year Final Semifinalists
Winner Score Runner-up
1980
Details Nacional

Uruguay 2 - 0
0 - 0
Aggregate
1 - 0 Internacional

Brazil Olimpia

Paraguay America de Cali

Colombia
1981
Details Flamengo

Brazil 2 - 1
0 - 1
2 - 0 Cobreloa

Chile Deportivo Cali

Colombia Nacional

Uruguay
1982
Details Peñarol

Uruguay 0 - 0
1 - 0
Aggregate
1 - 0 Cobreloa

Chile Flamengo

Brazil Olimpia

Paraguay
1983
Details Grêmio

Brazil 1 - 1
2 - 1
Aggregate
3 - 2 Peñarol

Uruguay Nacional

Uruguay Estudiantes L.P.

Argentina
1984
Details Independiente

Argentina 1 - 0
0 - 0
Aggregate
1 - 0 Grêmio

Brazil Nacional

Uruguay Flamengo

Brazil
1985
Details Argentinos Juniors

Argentina 1 - 0
0 - 1
1 - 1
(pen)
5 - 4 America de Cali

Colombia El Nacional

Ecuador Independiente

Argentina
1986
Details River Plate

Argentina 2 - 1
1 - 0
Aggregate
3 - 1 America de Cali

Colombia Argentinos Juniors

Argentina Olimpia

Paraguay
1987
Details Peñarol

Uruguay 0 - 2
2 - 1
2 - 0 (aet) America de Cali

Colombia Cobreloa

Chile River Plate

Argentina
1988
Details Nacional

Uruguay 0 - 1
3 - 0
Aggregate
3 - 1 Newell's Old Boys

Argentina America de Cali

Colombia San Lorenzo

Argentina
1989
Details Atlético Nacional

Colombia 2 - 0
0 - 2
Aggregate
2 - 2
(pen)
5 - 4 Olimpia

Paraguay Danubio

Uruguay Internacional

Brazil
Year Final Semifinalists
Winner Score Runner-up
1990
Details Olimpia

Paraguay 2 - 0
1 - 1
Aggregate
3 - 1 Barcelona Sporting

Ecuador River Plate

Argentina Atlético Nacional

Colombia
1991
Details Colo-Colo

Chile 0 - 0
3 - 0
Aggregate
3 - 0 Olimpia

Paraguay Atlético Nacional

Colombia Boca Juniors

Argentina
1992
Details São Paulo FC

Brazil 1 - 0
0 - 1
Aggregate
1 - 1
(pen)
3 - 2 Newell's Old Boys

Argentina America de Cali

Colombia Barcelona Sporting

Ecuador
1993
Details São Paulo FC

Brazil 5 - 1
0 - 2
Aggregate
5 - 3 Universidad Católica

Chile America de Cali

Colombia Cerro Porteño

Paraguay
1994
Details Vélez Sársfield

Argentina 0 - 1
1 - 0
Aggregate
1 - 1
(pen)
5 - 3 São Paulo FC

Brazil Atlético Junior

Colombia Olimpia

Paraguay
1995
Details Grêmio

Brazil 3 - 1
1 - 1
Aggregate
4 - 2 Atlético Nacional

Colombia River Plate

Argentina Emelec

Ecuador
1996
Details River Plate

Argentina 0 - 1
2 - 0
Aggregate
2 - 1 America de Cali

Colombia Grêmio

Brazil Universidad de Chile

Chile
1997
Details Cruzeiro

Brazil 0 - 0
1 - 0
Aggregate
1 - 0 Sporting Cristal

Peru Colo-Colo

Chile Racing Club

Argentina
1998
Details Vasco da Gama

Brazil 2 - 0
2 - 1
Aggregate
4 - 1 Barcelona Sporting

Ecuador Cerro Porteño

Paraguay River Plate

Argentina
1999
Details Palmeiras

Brazil 0 - 1
2 - 1
Aggregate
2 - 2
(pen)
4 - 3 Deportivo Cali

Colombia River Plate

Argentina Cerro Porteño

Paraguay
Year Final Semifinalists
Winner Score Runner-up
2000
Details Boca Juniors

Argentina 2 - 2
0 - 0
Aggregate
2 - 2
(pen)
4 - 2 Palmeiras

Brazil Corinthians

Brazil Club América

Mexico
2001
Details Boca Juniors

Argentina 1 - 0
0 - 1
Aggregate
1 - 1
(pen)
3 - 1 Cruz Azul

Mexico Palmeiras

Brazil Rosario Central

Argentina
2002
Details Olimpia

Paraguay 0 - 1
2 - 1
Aggregate
2 - 2
(pen)
4 - 2 São Caetano

Brazil Club América

Mexico Grêmio

Brazil
2003
Details Boca Juniors

Argentina 2 - 0
3 - 1
Aggregate
5 - 1 Santos FC

Brazil Independiente Medellín

Colombia America de Cali

Colombia
2004
Details Once Caldas

Colombia 0 - 0
1 - 1
Aggregate
1 - 1
(pen)
2 - 0 Boca Juniors

Argentina River Plate

Argentina São Paulo FC

Brazil
2005
Details São Paulo FC

Brazil 1 - 1
4 - 0
Aggregate
5 - 1 Atlético Paranaense

Brazil River Plate

Argentina Chivas de Guadalajara

Mexico
2006
Details Internacional

Brazil 2 - 1
2 - 2
Aggregate
4 - 3 São Paulo FC

Brazil Libertad

Paraguay Chivas de Guadalajara

Mexico
2007
Details

-
-
Aggregate
-

Championships by team
7 times

Independiente (1964, 1965, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, and 1984)
5 times

Boca Juniors (1977, 1978, 2000, 2001, and 2003)
Peñarol (1960, 1961, 1966, 1982, and 1987)
3 times

Estudiantes L.P. (1968, 1969, and 1970)
Nacional (1971, 1980, and 1988)
Olimpia (1979, 1990, and 2002)
São Paulo FC (1992, 1993, and 2005)
2 times

Cruzeiro (1976 and 1997)
Grêmio (1983 and 1995)
River Plate (1986 and 1996)
Santos FC (1962 and 1963)
1 time

Argentinos Juniors (1985)
Atlético Nacional (1989)
Colo-Colo (1991)
Flamengo (1981)
Internacional (2006)
Once Caldas (2004)
Palmeiras (1999)
Racing Club (1967)
Vasco da Gama (1998)
Vélez Sársfield (1994)

Championships by Country
Argentina 20 times
Brazil 13 times
Uruguay 8 times
Paraguay 3 times
Colombia 2 times
Chile 1 time

Finalists by Country
Argentina 28 times
Brazil 25 times
Uruguay 15 times
Colombia 9 times
Paraguay 6 times
Chile 6 times
Ecuador 2 times
Peru 2 times
Mexico 1 time

Semifinalists by Country
Argentina 52 times
Brazil 41 times
Uruguay 25 times
Colombia 23 times
Paraguay 17 times
Chile 14 times
Ecuador 7 times
Mexico 5 times
Peru 4 times

External links
Copa Toyota Libertadores at CONMEBOL.com Official Website.
Copa Libertadores at ESPNdeportes
Copa Libertadores results at RSSSF.com
Copa Libertadores de America 2006 - news, schedule of games, pictures, videos, forums, and more (in Spanish)
[1] A table of which teams have won the most European and South American International trophies.

liam_hurricane · #2 (**permalink**) 06-08-2007, 02:16 PM

The first team to reach the finals is?

[Only Registered and Activated Users Can See Links. Click Here To Register...]

migalo · #3 (**permalink**) 06-08-2007, 07:52 PM

im a fan of barzil

liam_hurricane · #4 (**permalink**) 06-12-2007, 01:22 PM

Santos versus Grêmio
Aggregate (0-2 in Porto Alegre-Brazil)

SANTOS, Brazil (AP) - Diego Souza scored midway through the first half, enough to send Gremio to the finals of the Copa Libertadores for the first time since 1995 despite a 3-1 loss to Santos Wednesday night.

The two-leg semifinal ended 3-3 on aggregate, thanks to Gremio's 2-0 victory at home last week. But Diego Souza's away goal overshadowed a two-goal effort by Santos' Renatinho and was just enough to earn Gremio a chance at a third South American crown against either Deportivo Cucuta of Colombia or Argentina's famed Boca Juniors.
Cucuta and Boca face off in their second leg at Buenos Aires Thursday night after the Colombian side won the first leg 3-1.

On Wednesday, Gremio started cautiously, adopting a defensive posture to absorb Santos' early threats. Marcos Aurelio charged into the area and fed Renatinho, who forced Gremio keeper Saja into a dramatic save.

Santos' quick passing seemed to confound Gremio, and Kleber tested Saja again in the 21st minute.

But two minutes later, Diego Souza took a feed alone in the goal mouth and tapped it into the upper corner for a 1-0 Gremio lead.

The goal silenced the massive crowd at Vila Belmiro stadium looking for a return to Santos' glory days when it won consecutive titles in 1962 and 1963 with Pele.

The goal appeared to inspire Gremio, which began to control the match and nearly doubled its lead in the 39th minute when Tcheco set up Lucio for a booming shot that skimmed over the crossbar.

Santos appeared to equalize with an own-goal in the 41st minute following a Ze Roberto free kick, but it was voided for offside.

Santos finally drew even a minute before halftime on another free kick by Ze Roberto. Marcos Aurelio sent the ball to Renatinho, who delighted the crowd with the equalizer.

With the momentum in Santos' favor, Renatinho hit the right post in the 53rd.

Santos surged ahead in the 60th minute when Marcos Aurelio took a feed in the penalty area and tapped it back to Renatinho, who shot past a diving Saja.

With Santos needing two more to avoid elimination, Saja had to leap off his line in the 64th to punch away a cross from Rodrigo Tabata.

Santos scored the aggregate equalizer in the 76th, capitalizing when the Gremio was unable to clear a free kick and Ze Roberto tallied, setting up a furious final 14 minutes.

Boca Juniors versus Cúcuta
Aggregate (1-3 in Cúcuta-Colombia)

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) - Five-time Copa Libertadores champ Boca Juniors barreled into the final of South America's premier team tournament, thrashing Cucuta Deportivo of Colombia 3-0 in a final leg match Thursday.

Playing on a fog-shrouded field at Boca's famously intimidating La Bombonera stadium, Boca won the series 4-3 on aggregate and advanced to play Brazilian side Gremio - winner of an all-Brazilian semifinal series against Santos.
Boca first scored on a powerful kick by playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme in the 43rd minute that flew into the left-side of the net from 24 meters out.

In the second half, star Boca striker Martin Palermo headed in a 55th-minute goal off a centering pass from Riquelme. Sebastian Battaglia headed in the final goal minutes later off Riquelme's corner kick for the 3-0 finish.

Cucuta had won the opening leg against Boca at home 3-1, but found itself overwhelmed before a sold-out, raucous Boca fan base in Buenos Aires as the hosts largely controlled possession from the outset.

Seven minutes into play, Boca striker Rodrigo Palacio headed off the Cucuta crossbar on a near-miss. But Cucuta also had a close first-half scoring opportunity, a free kick by Ruben Bustos in the 14th minute that rattled off the Boca crossbar.

The match was delayed one hour by heavy fog that filled the stadium, obscuring visibility early on.

Boca won the Copa Libertadores in 1977, 1978, 2000, 2001 and 2003. It will now face Gremio in the two-leg final.

Lineups:

BOCA JUNIORS: Mauricio Caranta, Hugo Ibarra, Daniel Diaz, Morel Rodriguez (Matias Silvestre, 77), Clemente Rodriguez, Pablo Ledesma, Ever Banega, Neri Cardozo (Sebastian Battaglia, 79), Juan Roman Riquelme, Rodrigo Palacio, Martin Palermo. Coach: Miguel Angel Russo.

CUCUTA DEPORTIVO: Robinson Zapata, Ruben Bustos, Walter Moreno, Julian Hurtado (Cesar Vasquez, 61), Elvis Gonzalez, Nelson Flores (David Cordoba, 61), Duman Rueda, Jose Castillo (Victor Cortes, 73), Macnelly Torres, Lionard Pajoy, Juan Martinez. Coach: Jorge Bernal.

Referee: Roberto Silvera (Uruguay)

the tables:

http://www.lancenet.com.br/especiais/lib/frio/eliminatoria.htm

liam_hurricane · #5 (**permalink**) 06-13-2007, 11:29 PM

(Home teams listed first)

QUARTERFINALS

First Leg

Tuesday, May 15

Cucuta Deportivo (Colombia) 2, Nacional (Uruguay) 0

Wednesday, May 16

Defensor Sporting (Uruguay) 2, Gremio (Brazil) 0

America (Mexico) 0, Santos (Brazil) 0

Thursday, May 17

Boca Juniors (Argentina) 1, Libertad (Paraguay) 1

Second Leg

Tuesay, May 22

Nacional (Uruguay) 2, Cucuta Deportivo (Colombia) 2 (Cucuta advances 4-2 on aggregate)

Wednesday, May 23

Santos (Brazil) 2, America (Mexico) 1 (Santos advances 2-1 on aggregate)

Gremio (Brazil) 2, Defensor Sporting (Uruguay) 0 (2-2 aggregate, Gremio advances 4-2 on penalties)

Thursday, May 24

Libertad (Paraguay) 0, Boca Juniors (Argentina) 2 (Boca advances 3-1 on aggregate)

---

SEMIFINALS

First Leg

Wednesday, May 30

Gremio (Brazil) 2, Santos (Brazil) 0

Thursday, May 31

Cucuta Deportivo (Colombia) 3, Boca Juniors (Argentina) 1

Second Leg

Wednesday, June 6

Santos (Brazil) 3, Gremio (Brazil) 1 (aggregate 3-3; Gremio advances 1-0 on away goals)

Thursday, June 7

Boca Juniors (Argentina) 3, Cucuta Deportivo (Colombia) 0 (Boca advances on 3-2 aggregate)

--

FINALS

First Leg

Wednesday, June 13

Boca Juniors (Argentina) vs. Gremio (Brazil)

Second Leg

Wednesday, June 20

Gremio (Brazil) vs. Boca Juniors (Argentina)

cool nokia · #6 (**permalink**) 06-15-2007, 06:21 PM

Merci pour l'infos

liam_hurricane · #7 (**permalink**) 06-16-2007, 08:46 PM

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) - Rodrigo Palacio, Pablo Ledesma and Juan Roman Riquelme scored as Boca Juniors pounded Brazil's Gremio 3-0 for the early lead in the two-leg Copa Libertadores championship on Wednesday.

Palacio converted a left-footed tap in the 19th minute, Riquelme scored off a sizzling right-footed free kick in the 73rd, and Ledesma added the final goal in the 89th.
Boca's second-half flurry came as Gremio struggled for most of the final period, its defense withering after being forced to play one man down from the 58th minute when Sandro Goiano was expelled for kicking Boca rival Ever Banega.

In its quest for the championship, Boca heads to Porto Alegre, Brazil for the finale next Wednesday. Besides a possible sixth title for Boca - or a third for Gremio - a berth in the club world championship awaits the winner of Latin America's club championship.

"We are content. We've won the match but now we will rest all week as there are still 90 minutes left to play," Riquelme said.

He added he was pleased Gremio didn't score in a finale in which the visitor goals are worth double.

Teammate Claudio Morel Rodriguez said Boca would not let up in its quest for a sixth Copa title.

"The main thing is to win," he said. "But Gremio is a hard team and we must keep pressing on."

In the 19th minute, playmaker Riquelme sent a free kick toward striker Martin Palermo, who ricocheted the ball to Palacio for a left-footed tap into the Gremio net beside the right post. Video replays showed Palermo arguably offside but the goal was allowed to stand.
Throughout the first half, Gremio and Boca traded scoring threats. Boca goalkeeper Mauricio Caranta notably used his body to block a scoring attempt by striker Tuta in the 12th.

In the second period, Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda expelled Goiano for a rough kick at Banega, who was not seriously hurt. Boca ratcheted up its offense with the man advantage.

In the 73rd, Riquelme sent 45,000 mostly Boca fans thundering in the stands at the Argentine club's notoriously intimidating "La Bombonera" stadium: His right-footed free kick rocketed past Gremio's Argentine goalkeeper Sebastian Saja, who dove right too late to block the shot.

Undeterred, a Gremio squad that has allowed 10 goals in 12 games, sought to keep up the defense. It also tried to attack, but increasingly found Boca pressing against its goalmouth - although Lucio missed two second-half free kick attempts in quick succession before Ledesma closed out the scoring.

Riquelme, Boca's star playmaker, was the outstanding figure of the game as he set up Ledesma's final score with a center pass.

Ardent Boca fan and soccer great Diego Maradona was among the crowd raucously cheering from the stands as blue-and-yellow confetti showered down amid a burst of fireworks at the Buenos Aires stadium.

Boca won the Libertadores in 1977, 1978, 2000, 2001 and 2003. Gremio won in 1983 and 1995.

liam_hurricane · #8 (**permalink**) 06-20-2007, 09:54 PM

SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) - Gremio fans remained confident of a comeback against Boca Juniors in the finals of the Copa Libertadores and quickly sold out Wednesday's decisive match at Olimpico stadium.

The nearly 50,000 available tickets were sold on Sunday, only a few hours after being put on sale, the club said Monday.
Fans endured long lines in cold weather in the southern city of Porto Alegre even though the Brazilian club lost the first leg 3-0 in Argentina and will need to score at least three goals on Wednesday to have a chance to win its third title in Latin America's premier club tournament.

"Never in Gremio's nearly 104-year history there has been this type of buzz accompanying the fans," the club said on its Web site.

Thousands of supporters spent the night in line to try to buy a ticket on Sunday. Many carried pillows and blankets to brace for the hours-long wait.

Club members bought their allotment of 20,000 tickets between Friday and Saturday.

Nearly 3,000 tickets were sent to Argentina to Boca Juniors' fans, Grêmio said.

liam_hurricane · #9 (**permalink**) 06-20-2007, 10:03 PM

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil (AP) - Gremio fans set off firecrackers near Boca Juniors' hotel throughout the night to try to keep the Argentine players from getting much sleep before Wednesday's Copa Libertadores final.

Around 60 to 100 fans stayed outside the hotel where Boca Juniors is staying in Porto Alegre chanting, yelling and honking horns near the windows early Wednesday morning, local TV said.
Police moved the fans from near the hotel at about 2 a.m., but the supporters managed to continue with the firecrackers, which went off in short intervals for several hours, with each wave lasting about 30 seconds.

In the morning, Gremio fans on the streets and Boca Juniors supporters in the hotel briefly threw objects at each other and police had to intervene, local media reported.

There were also reports that a bus carrying Boca fans was attacked with rocks by Gremio supporters as it arrived in Brazil. Some windows were broken but nobody was injured in the incident.

Last week in Argentina, several buses with Gremio fans were attacked with rocks and some of the supporters sustained minor injuries.

Boca Juniors' players arrived in Porto Alegre on Tuesday evening ahead of the decisive match at Olimpico Stadium.

Gremio will need all the help it can get after losing the first leg 3-0 last week in Buenos Aires.

Boca Juniors will have the support in Brazil of fans from Gremio's fierce archrival Internacional, which last year won the Copa Libertadores and FIFA's Club World Cup.

More than 1,000 police officers will work inside and outside Olimpico Stadium on Wednesday.

liam_hurricane · #10 (**permalink**) 06-20-2007, 10:06 PM

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil (AP) - Brazilian authorities have prepared a special security scheme to try avoid any fan violence during the Copa Libertadores final between Brazil's Gremio and Argentina's Boca Juniors on Wednesday.

Worried with reports that fans used online communities to plan confrontations before the match, local authorities and representatives from both clubs set up a meeting in the southern city of Porto Alegre on Monday to outline special security measures.
More than 1,000 police officers will be deployed in and near Olimpico stadium, and the nearly 50 buses with Boca Juniors fans will be escorted by officers from the moment they arrive in Brazil.

"I believe everything possible has been done to avoid any type of confrontation between fans, both inside and outside the stadium," CONMEBOL's executive secretary Francisco Figueiredo said Tuesday. "Boca Juniors fans will be protected by the local authorities and we expect everything to go well."

Boca Juniors president Pedro Pompilio told Argentine media on Monday night that the club was "worried with the safety of those traveling to Brazil" to watch the match.

Gremio fans were upset after several of their buses were attacked with rocks by Boca Juniors fans before and after last week's match in Buenos Aires. Some Gremio fans sustained minor injuries.

Boca won the match 3-0.

Boca Juniors supporters were allotted 2,700 of the nearly 50,000 tickets for this evening´s match.